Getting (and Staying) Social in Education
There are gobs of statistics about why social media is so important, especially now with distance learning, remote working, and all things virtual. We NEED to connect digitally, since there are many days and weeks that Zoom calls, phone calls, social media feeds, and emails are the extent of our interaction with the world beyond our four walls.
Generally, K12 schools have a hard time adopting a strategy and sticking with it, so never really see the benefits social media can bring to their organization. Over the years they experience starts and stops, so don’t ever really get the momentum and consistency they need. Sometimes this is personnel driven. People move from role to role and have to take off the social media “hat.” Sometimes it’s a budget line item that’s easy to cut, when you don’t know or understand the value it brings.
Here are a few reasons schools and districts need to get, and stay, social.
Brand Awareness. Whether schools are attracting students, families, or teachers, they need to be able to reach these audiences where they are. And they are ON social media. In fact, ninety percent of Millennials, 77 percent of Gen X’ers, and 48 percent of Baby Boomers are active social media users.
Crushing the Rule of 7: An old marketing adage, the Rule of 7 states that one needs to hear a message at least 7 times before taking action. Social media allows us to step out of the email inbox and reach people in a frequency and channel of their choosing. There is still a place for newsletters, email updates, and other methods of outreach; social media, though, allows for more touchpoints in a place where our audiences are already engaged.
Brand Authenticity. Whether your schools are hybrid, in-person, or fully remote, our day-to-day looks wildly different than it did last year at this time. By sharing footage, photos, and information through social media, we’re able to build out our visual and emotional brands in a real way with what we’re all experiencing every day.
Let’s take #3 a bit deeper. Right now, photos of happy-go-lucky students in classrooms and hallways won’t resonate. They aren’t authentic, and people won’t engage. In fact, it’s a turnoff. If your school is hybrid or remote, pivot from using campus and classroom shots, to using individual students and teachers as the heart of the school. Connections trump content. Two quick ways to accomplish this. 1) Honor the past and 2) Give them a voice. #fbf (flashback Friday) and #tbt (throwback Thursday) are great ways to recall school events and traditions to keep school spirit alive. Allow students and staff “takeover” opportunities to showcase a “day in the life of…” This gives audiences a chance to see what educators are doing behind the scenes and how students are approaching a new way of learning.
Get social. Stay social. And pivot.
